Starting from Scratch
by Samantha Violet
Summary: Cho is 28, with an overbearing mother, a Muggle boyfriend and lingering angst about an ex. She has to decide who she wants to be. One shot.


A/N- This was written for the Idiom challenge. Enjoy!

Starting From Scratch

"Mum, for the last time, I'm twenty-eight years old. You can't tell me what to do."

"I just want what's best for you, Cho."

Cho thought that she had shown admirable restraint in not having cursed her mother by now.

"Don't you think I know what's best for me, Mum? I don't want a ministry job. Doesn't that matter to you?"

"You can't work at Flourish and Blotts forever, can you?"

Cho sighed deeply. "I like it there."

"I'm just thinking about your future. No respectable wizard will want to marry a humble bookshop clerk."

Of course, Cho thought, it was only a matter of time before the conversation took this turn. Marriage this, babies that. It was more than Cho could handle.

"I'm not a clerk, I'm part-owner. More coffee?"

Cho disappeared off to the kitchen before her mother had time to reply.

Sitting at the kitchen table, Cho took a few deep breaths and tried to compose herself. These conversations with her mother always wore her out, especially when it came to the marriage part. Cho knew how much it meant to her parents that she, their only daughter, should marry a wizard of good reputation. When, in her schooldays, she had been dating the famous Harry Potter, her parents had been ecstatic. Cho didn't know how she was ever going to tell them about Steve.

Steve was a painter. Not an artist, which her mother might have approved of; he painted houses. And Steve was a Muggle.

Cho had met Steve while out shopping on Oxford Street, looking for a particular brand of haircare potion ('serum', as the Muggles called it) that wasn't available in Diagon Alley. Steve had been painting a sign on the outside of a shop. Cho had bumped into his ladder, causing him to spill paint all over her, and the rest was history.

Cho hadn't told Steve that she was a witch. She didn't want to scare him off. But eventually, her relationship with Steve and her life in the Wizarding world would have to collide - and the Wizarding world included her mother.

Mercifully, her mother's visit that afternoon proved shorter than usual, as she was going to get her hair done. After she had gone, Cho collapsed on the sofa, closed her eyes, and fantasised about a world where she was free to be whoever she wanted.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

Flourish and Blotts was busy the next day. September was getting close, and Hogwarts students of all ages were queueing up to procure their assigned books. As Cho handed over her twenty-third copy of "The Standard Book of Spells: Grade Three" that day to a shy-looking blonde girl, the smile suddenly dropped off her face as she caught sight of something unexpected.

Harry Potter and Ginny Weasley had just walked into the shop. Cho hadn't seen either of them since the Battle of Hogwarts nine years ago, and it caused a jolt in her stomach to realise that they were still together - and that they had children. Ginny was pushing a double buggy, which had magically contracted to fit through the door of the shop. Cho couldn't see very well from where she was, but it looked as if they had a baby and a toddler.

"Excuse me? Can I get some service, please?"

"Oh, of course. I'm so sorry."

Cho put on her best fake smile for the haughty looking witch, who handed over her stack of books without smiling in return.

_I love Steve_, Cho thought, as she fought desperately not to let her emotions show on her face. _So why am I feeling like this? Harry is ancient history. It doesn't matter any more that he chose Ginny over me._

But that old pain must have lingered for longer than she ever realised, because when Ginny approached the tills, Cho felt an unbidden surge of anger rise up in her.

"Hello, I was wondering if you had a copy of - Oh, Cho, it's you! I almost didn't recognise you. How are you?"

Ginny's smile was warm, without a hint of bitterness. Clearly she had put the past behind her much more successfully than Cho had.

"Oh, hi, Ginny. I'm fine, thanks. You?"

"Very well. As you can see, I've got my hands full."

Cho admired the two young boys in the buggy, and remarked on just how much like Harry they looked.

When Harry himself came over, clutching a book about Firebolt maintenance, Cho looked at him and saw the boy she had fallen for all those years ago, but with maturity softening his features. He still had that scar. Memories of the Room of Requirement came flooding back ...

Harry smiled broadly when he saw her. "Cho! Long time, no see!"

"Hi, Harry. It has been a while. I've, um, been meeting your kids."

"James and Albus. Great wizards in the making! So, how's life?"

"Well, um, I'm working here, as you can see. I took over as part-owner last year when old Flourish died. Before that I was working at the Hogsmeade branch." She fiddled with a piece of her hair, not meeting Harry's eyes.

"Yeah, I didn't think I'd seen you in here before. So, do you have any new kids yourself?"

Typical bloody new parent, Cho thought. She answered, almost embarrassed, "No, I don't. I have a boyfriend, though. Steve." There, now that was out in the open.

Like Ginny, Harry clearly didn't have any lingering feelings about what had happened during their Hogwarts years. He continued to make pleasant conversation, until Ginny came back over, having found the book she was looking for.

"Hey, stop flirting with your ex-girlfriend!" She said playfully, elbowing Harry gently in the ribs. Harry laughed, and put an arm around his wife's waist. Cho swallowed hard, and asked, "Did you want to pay for those books?"

Before they left the shop, Ginny handed Cho a flyer. "My Quidditch team are holding tryouts for a new Seeker next week," she said. "The Holyhead Harpies. I thought you might be interested."

Cho smiled as naturally as she could muster.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

"I ran into an old school friend the other day," Cho said. "She thinks I should try out for one of the national, er, ladies' hockey teams."

Steve looked confused. "I didn't know you played hockey."

Cho could have kicked herself. That had been a close one - the word 'Quidditch' had very nearly slipped out.

"Well, I played it at school. I was the goalkeeper for my House team. And I thought maybe I'd like to get back into it."

"That's great, babe. I'd love to come and watch you play."

Cho's heart sank. Steve was so loving and supportive, and it felt almost like a crime to deceive him, but she wasn't ready to share her secret with him yet.

"I rather you didn't, to be honest," she said, not meeting his eyes. "I haven't played since I was eighteen, and I'm a bit rusty. I don't want to embarrass myself in front of you."

"Ah, come on, babe, you know I'll love you no matter how crap you are at hockey." Steve gave a cheeky grin. Cho felt a rush of the warmth she nearly always felt when Steve was around. He never failed to make her smile. But that just made it even worse that she was lying to him.

"It's not that. It's just, if I know you're watching, I'll get all nervous and start fumbling. I need to focus and keep my eye on the Sn- the ball."

Luckily for Cho, Steve had been taking a long drag of his pint, and hadn't noticed her slip. But it was definitely time for a change of subject.

"So, what are we doing after this?" She asked him. "Are we going back to yours, or do you want to go to the cinema or something?"

Steve put down his pint. "Actually, Cho, there's something I've been meaning to ask you."

Oh damn, Cho thought, this is it. He's figured out that there's something weird about me, and he's going to run.

"Oh?"

"Yeah. The thing is, we've been together a while now, and I was thinking, when I move into my new flat ... maybe you'd like to move in with me?"

Cho was at a loss for words. Steve looked so nervous, which wasn't like him at all, and she didn't want to upset him - but moving in together was a big risk. She couldn't as easily hide her true nature from him when they were living under the same roof.

"Um..."

"You're going to say no, aren't you?" Steve looked down at the table.

"Oh, Steve ... listen, I love you so much, and it's not like I don't want to live with you. It's just that it's a big commitment, and I'm not sure we're ready to take that step."

"I understand." He didn't sound as if he did.

"Steve ..."

"Look, I've got to get back home, babe. I'll give you a call tomorrow." Steve gave her a quick kiss on the cheek, then hurried away, not even bothering to finish his pint.

Cho had to work hard to stop herself from crying. It couldn't go on like this - Steve was a good man, and it wasn't fair to keep hurting him. Pretty soon, she would either have to tell him, or end the relationship. An image of Harry came into her mind, surrounded by his happy family, causing Cho a sudden and unexpected jab of pain. She picked up Steve's pint of beer, and drained it. She had a shift at the bookshop that afternoon, but she didn't care.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

The Quidditch tryouts were taking place in the Welsh mountains. It was a perfect location - not too much wind, and far from Muggle eyes. Cho had dusted off her old broomstick and Apparated over. She wasn't really in the mood to play Quidditch, but she thought she might as well give it a go. It might take her mind off things.

There were a few other women lining up beside the temporary Quidditch goalposts which had been put up for the event. Cho didn't recognise any of them. She did, however, recognise Ginny Potter, who was over on the other side of the pitch, chatting with some of her Holyhead Harpies teammates. She suddenly felt even more queasy than before.

Ginny broke away from the group of Holyhead Harpies players, and came over the line of women waiting to try out for Seeker. She smiled - that perfect smile, those perfect teeth - and said, "Hey! I'm glad you could all make it. Any volunteers to go first?"

Cho determinedly avoided meeting Ginny's eyes. Somebody braver than her, called Magda, volunteered, and she and the Holyhead Harpies shot up into the air. Ginny's assistant released the four balls, and Cho almost vomited when she realised that Ginny's assistant was Harry.

Magda was a pretty good Seeker, which didn't make Cho feel any better. She caught the Snitch after just ten minutes.

Another woman volunteered, then another, until Cho was the only one left. She couldn't avoid it any longer. Taking a deep breath, she mounted her broom, and took off into the sky.

The Holyhead Harpies were pretty good. Cho had to remind herself to keep looking around for the Snitch instead of just gawping at how fast the Chasers passed the Quaffle between them. Ginny flew past her, still smiling, and Cho darted off in the other direction.

After about quarter of an hour, Cho spotted the Snitch out of the corner of her eye. It was glistening near a tree top off to the side of the pitch. Keeping focused, frowning which concentration, Cho flew at full speed towards the Snitch; and promptly crashed into the tree. The pain registered before anything else - a throbbing all down her left side. She tumbled off her broom, the front end of which had snapped, and fell in a heap on the ground.

Somebody - probably Harry - blew a whistle, and Cho could hear the Holyhead Harpies landing on the ground and dismounting their brooms. Then there was the sound of feet hurrying over.

"Cho! Oh Merlin, are you all right?"

Cho opened her eyes slowly. Her vision was blurry, but there was no mistaking that vivid red hair.

"I ... think I'll be okay ..."

She tried to sit up, then grimaced in agony and lay back down again. Her left side felt like it was on fire. She could smell dirt and wet grass, and the coppery taste in her mouth told her that she must have bit her cheek quite badly. None of this bothered her, though, as much as the humiliation she felt. How could she ever show her face again after this? And in front of Harry ...

She passed out.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

Cho's mother came to visit her in St Mungo's two days later. Cho was feeling better, physically - her bruised ribs had been healed with potion, and she had slept off the concussion - but she was utterly miserable. Harry had seen her fly straight into a tree. Harry and Ginny, with their perfect life, their perfect family, had watched her make a complete fool of herself. And there was no way that this would stay quiet. Nothing ever stayed quiet in the Wizarding world. People coming into Flourish and Blotts would be mentioning this for months.

Cho's mother sat down beside her, and placed a vase full of garish pink flowers on Cho's bedside table.

"Your father and I were very upset to hear about your accident, Cho," she said. "Why didn't you send us an owl?"

She can't help herself, scolding me even when I'm lying in hospital, Cho thought.

"It's not that serious, Mum," she insisted. "Just a few bruised ribs. I'll be fine."

"I didn't know you'd taken up Quidditch again, dear. At one time, we thought you might be able to play for England, but you seemed to lose your touch after that Cedric died."

"Mum! Do you have to bring up Cedric?" Even after all these years, it still hurt.

"Speaking of men," her mother said, although they hadn't been, "I think I might have found someone ideal for you. He's a bit younger, but he does come from a very good family. Do you know the Malfoys?"

Cho thought she could feel a migraine coming on. "Mum, please don't tell me you're trying to set me up with Draco. He's a complete waste of space."

"But he's wealthy, and his family are very well respected."

"Well respected Death Eaters, you mean?"

Her mother sighed. "Cho, dear, you have to stop living in the past."

"Living in the past! Look, the Second War isn't something I'm likely to forget, is it? I lived through it - so did you. And I lost someone close to me. So shut the Hell up, please."

"Language, young lady!"

Cho had just about had enough. It was time to drop the bombshell.

"How would you feel," she asked, "if I told you that I'm in love with a Muggle?"

"A Muggle? Don't be silly, dear. You wouldn't get anywhere in life if you married a Muggle."

"You know, I'm not talking hypothetically here. His name is Steve."

It was a while before her mother said anything at all. Her expression was unreadable.

"A common Muggle? How could you, Cho?"

"Stop acting offended! I can't help who I love, can I?"

"But you can help who you marry."

"Look, I don't know whether I'm going to marry Steve, but yeah, it's a possibility. I guess we can't count on your blessing."

"You most certainly can't, young lady! In fact, if you don't change your mind about this Steve, you can forget about relying on us for anything at all. I leave you to think it over, and when I come back tomorrow, I expect you will have come to your senses."

Cho's mother picked up the vase of flowers, and swept out of the room.

Cho felt hot tears stinging her eyes. She had known it was going to go badly, but she hadn't imagined it would go that badly. And as the hot tears coursed down her cheeks, she made her decision.

She would leave the Wizarding world behind. She would move in with Steve, and make a new start in the Muggle world - away from Quidditch, away from Harry and Ginny, away from her parents. Steve would have to learn that she was a witch eventually, of course, but that world wouldn't have to be a part of her life any more.

A nurse came in to change the sheets.

"Excuse me? I was wondering whether you think I'll be ready to be discharged by this time tomorrow?"

The nurse quickly checked her over. "I think so," she said with a smile. "You'll probably be ready to go home tonight, actually."

"That's a relief. Um, I was wondering, do you have a Muggle telephone around here? I need to make an important call."

Starting from scratch wouldn't be easy, but Cho could hardly wait.

THE END


End file.
